4/08/2010 @ 9:00PM

In Pictures: How To Beat Online Shopping Scams

Beware Post-Transaction Discounts/Add-Ons

E-Commerce sites can legally pass on your credit card details to partners if you click to accept discounts or freebies that quietly enroll you in a paid “club.” A Senate Commerce Committee investigation last November revealed that three companies: Affinion, Webloyalty and Venture, had made $1.4 billion from the practice. Those companies have scaled back their post-transaction marketing, but the trick remains legal.